TROYES, a city iu France, capital of the department of Aube, is situated in the middle of a vast and fertile'plain on the left bank of the Seine, 112 miles by railway S.E. from Paris, in lat., 4° 5' K long., at an elevation of 861 feet above the level of the Euglish Channel, and had a population of 25,656 in the commune at tho census of 1851. It occupies the site of the ancient Auyustobona, or A ugusto bona, the chief town of the Tricasses, a Celtic nation, whose name it afterwards took, and from this by corruption the modern name has been derived. It was plundered by the Normans A.D. 889, and in the feudal period was the capital of the important county of Champagne. Troyes was taken by the Duko of Bourgogne iu 1415; and here, In 1420, the marriage of Henry V. of England with Catherine of France was coucluded, and the treaty arranged by which Henry was appointed to succeed Charles VI. on the throne. Troyes was retaken from tho English by Charles VII. in 1429.
The Seine flows on the northern and eastern sides of the town, which is surrounded by wall's, and entered by six gates. Tho ramparts are planted with trees, and there are other trees at their foot, so that the town is surrounded by a double alley of trees : the ditch also is laid out as a garden. There are five fauhourgs, or suburbs. The streets are irregularly laid out, and are with some exceptions narrow and crooked ; tho houses, many of which are of wood, are generally 111-built : the gables towards the streets are built of wood painted or plastered, and are frequently adorned with carving, and have dark penthouses, which overhang the shops. These old structures however are gradually giving way to modern and more solidly-constructed buildings. The neighbourhood of the town is pleasant There are three parish churches, namely, the cathedral of St.-Pierre, St-Jean, and La Sainte-3ladelaine; and five succursal churches, or chapels of ems; namely, St.-Nicolas, St.-Pantalion, St.-Itemi, St-Urbain, and St.-Nizier. The cathedral of St-Pierre is a fino specimen of gothic architecture : the height and width of the nave, the beautiful stained glass windows which adorn the aisles, three beautiful rose windows, and the handsome pavement of the choir, are among the features which attract the greatest notice. The church has never been com pleted : there were to have been two western towers, but only one, 205 feet high, has been erected. The church of St.-Jean is remark able for the narrowness of the nave : it contains a fine tabernacle, sculptured by GirartIon; and a fine painting of the baptism of Christ, by Mignard. Tho church of St.-Itensi contains a figure of Christ iu
Is se by Ghanian. The churthes of La Saints-Sladeleine and St: raisin are considered as very beautiful, and St-Nicolas has a hand some front. All the churches of Troyes aro more or less rich in painted e Indowa Of the other publio buildings, the 110tel-Dieu, or hospital, la a handsome building of the last century ; the town-hall has a head some stone front, the work of Mansard, adorned with columns of black marble; the gate of St.-Jacque., or St Jamey, which is flanked by two towers, and surmounted by a light spire, is ecunctimes ascribed to Caesar. There are besides those the theatre, the episcopal palace, the wine mart, the abattoirs, the gaol, and house of correction.
The manufactures of Troyes are important, and are promoted by the distribution of the waters of the Seine through the town by means of numerous canals. The chief products are cotton and woollen yarn, hosiery, printed cottons, dimities, tepee, and other cotton goods ; blankets, flannel, cloth, and other woollen goods ; linens, printing paper, playing cards, chamois and other leather, gloves, bats, wool cards and combs, spinning-wheels, knitting-needles, agricultural imple ments, furniture, musical striugs, leaden utensils and wares, and whiting. There aro dye-houss, bleach-grounds, bleaching-houses for wax, and tan-mills. There are five fairs, two of eight days each. Several important roads converge at Troyes • the Seine is navigable below the town, which is joined to Paris by railway. These numerous means of communication greatly facilitate the trade of the town, which is very considerable in the iudustrial products above named, and in corn, wine, brandy, pulse, colonial produce, raw cotton, wool, hemp, iron, lead, zinc, timber, etc.
Troyes is the seat of a bishop, whose diocese comprehends the department of Aube. The town has a tribunal of first instance, a tribunal of commerce, a chamber of commerce, and a council of prudlommes. Printing was established at Troyes about the middle of the 15th century, and the trade still flourishes there. The public library contains 55,000 volumes and 5000 manuscripts : it is kept in a spacious hall 164 feet long, 32 feet wide, and 22 feet high. Troyes has several learned societies; two seminaries for the priesthood; a college; and four hospitals, or asylums. Troyes was the native place of Pope Urban IV.